1-5w valve combo amps. What are you using?

SouthpawMark

I'm tired of having to lug my stupid amp down two flights of stairs whenever I have a lesson, and have decided to get a more portable valve combo. I don’t think I want more than 5w, and ideally I’d like it to have a power soak (or equivalent) feature too. Early research suggests the Marshall DSL5C or Blackstar HT-5R Mk II might be good options.

Does anyone here use either, or have any other amp suggestions? 

Thanks!

Winny_Pooh

Yerasov 15 watters get good reviews

thecolourbox

Depends what sound you need I think really

TheMarlin

Vox DA5 can be had for pennies, and sounds great for home noodling. 

Danny1969

HT-5 is OK for a classic rock \ metal sound ..... nice and cheap ... surprising loud I gig'ed one for years 

soma1975

There's a JTM1 for sale at the moment in the classified. it is absolutely brilliant. buy it. 

tone1

My only amp is a Cornell Romany Plus   

Fuengi

Winny_Pooh said:

Yerasov 15 watters get good reviews

There's a black one in excellent condition in the classified section now (pumps his own tyres up  ) 

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/155480/yerasov-gta15-in-black-tolex-250#latest

munckee

I'm using a 74 champ. I've previously used a 5 watt tweed champ. Have tried most of them. Vox ac4 is good and Marshall dsl5. Never loved black stars. Ibanez do a 5 watt with built in tubescreamer. 

As mentioned above yerasov is a lot of amp for the price. Better than the pro jr it replicates I think. 

Ultimate home amps would be tone king gremlin or rift pr6 if money no object. 

chrisj1602

The new HT-5 mkii is on my list, it sounds great on the demos I’ve seen, two channels with a voice selection on each, all foot switchable, with reverb, a 0.5 watt mode, and with usb and xlr outs. 

earwighoney

munckee said:

I'm using a 74 champ. I've previously used a 5 watt tweed champ. Have tried most of them. Vox ac4 is good and Marshall dsl5. Never loved black stars. Ibanez do a 5 watt with built in tubescreamer. 

As mentioned above yerasov is a lot of amp for the price. Better than the pro jr it replicates I think. 

Ultimate home amps would be tone king gremlin or rift pr6 if money no object. 

I have the Ibanez one.  It's ok, nothing great.  The Tubescreamer is awful though. 

pintspiller

I have a DSL1 at home and a HT1 Mk1 where our band rehearses. I prefer the Marshall of the two.

p90fool

Why valve? Get a Pignose and play all the way down the stairs.

FastEddie

tone1 said:

My only amp is a Cornell Romany Plus   

Second for a Romany. Mine is 16 years old and just gets better.

wrinkleygit

Marshall Class 5 ( later model) with an original Guvnor pedal works for me.

tone1

FastEddie said:

tone1 said:

My only amp is a Cornell Romany Plus   

Second for a Romany. Mine is 16 years old and just gets better.

I put a Jenson P12R in mine and I’ve never been happier....

darthed1981

In this video the Marshall Origin and Blackstar (and of course the Rift) come off very well....

monquixote

I think the Origin is completely hamstrung by the tiny speaker.

The Blackstar did sound pretty good, but I'd be inclined to ignore the valve requirement and get a BluesCube Hot, or a TM60

darthed1981

monquixote said:

ignore the valve requirement and get a BluesCube Hot, or a TM60

Well without valves, things also always come back to the Katana 50...

Which is probably the answer to the OPs question in all honesty, given as he was talking about lugging things around, if we re-phrase the question as...

"I want a non-shitty amp to carry around to lessons and stuff without doing my back in"

180 quid gets you a Katana 50 that does everything pretty well.

dindude

I think these new Blackstar studios look good, particularly the 6L6 one

https://youtu.be/lteVrgtDLwc

andyp

I have a DSL 5C and really like it. I tried the older HT5R back to back with the DSL and didn't like the Blackstar at all. I've concluded I'm not a Blackstar fan.

It depends on what sort of sound you want, but I find the DSL5 very versatile and it has a 1w mode... and headphones out if you want it.